ABOUT

My name is Kelly Porter and I’m a designer, color consultant and writer. I also own Porter House Designs — a design and lifestyle company.

I believe that God uses color everywhere everyday to inspire us and enrich our lives, so I’m passionate about merging good design with tasteful colors. I love the power of color, and I’ve witnessed over and over again how a coat of paint or colorful accessories can create an amazing space where people want to hang out. But I’ve also seen how many people struggle with choosing the right colors. Even choosing the best shades of white, black or gray can be very tricky! That’s why my design philosophy is all about selecting colors that complement your style and space, and make you feel good. Selecting colors can be overwhelming for some people but it’s something that totally moves me!

Based in the Washington, DC area, I’ve worked as a designer and color consultant for almost 20 years. Through my popular eDesign service Design Take-Out,I create color schemes and design plans for clients anywhere in the world! My color and design projects include residential interiors and exteriors, and commercial spaces, which have included restaurants, a bakery and a spa.

I’m best known for the colorful design I created for my home office — a space I called my ‘Mom Cave.’ It received national media coverage and started the ‘mom cave’ design trend after being featured inThe Washington Postand onApartment Therapy. That was a few years ago but it spawned a huge design movement where women started (and still are) creating personal spaces and home offices for themselves that are feminine, pretty and artistic.

In addition to my design business, I’m a freelance writer who presently writes for the insanely popular design website Houzz.com. I’ve also contributed several stories to Sherwin-Williams’ website, STIR.

I’m married to an amazing husband (23 years!) and we have three incredible sons who are all in college.